without lying on it. A crescent-shaped tail is allowed, it can lightly touch the back or thigh.

Tail полным кольцом не допускается.

Saber-shaped or straight preferred, thicker at the base. Tail должен быть хорошо опушен. If the Chihuahua belongs to the long-haired variety, the tail should be very bushy, "sultan".

Wool
Due to the different type of coat, the Chihuahua breed is presented in two varieties: long-haired and short-haired. Their difference lies only in the nature of the coat.

Long-haired dogs were bred by Texas cynologists in the 1930s. from the short-haired representatives of this breed brought to America.

In long-haired animals, the coat is longer, softer and finer. The neck should be decorated with a lush collar - "jabot", paws - feathers - "panties", tail - thick "sultan". A long fringe adorns the base of the ears, forming "feathers" on them, as well as on the back of the paws. Dressed hair should be fairly thick on the chest, tail and hind legs. Frame покрыт шелковистой шерстью, не длинной, не курчавой (допустима слегка волнистая), не слишком густой и не rough.

The undercoat is usually well developed, but its absence is tolerated.

In short-haired animals, the coat is short, even, smooth, well-fitting, shiny, soft, silky. The length of the hairs on the neck and tail is slightly longer.

A sparse coat is acceptable on the throat. Undercoat is not required. Sometimes the skin is visible through the very short coat.

Manifestations of an intermediate, mixed type of coat are not welcome.

According to the FCI rules, both varieties of Chihuahuas can interbreed without any reservations. General requirements and standards apply to them.

Color
Color может варьироваться без ограничений. The color of the nose and eyes can be any, but still must match the color of the coat. Combinations may vary. The standard allows the presence of a single-color, two-color, three-color color.

Chihuahuas may have masks of various positions and sizes, but they may also be absent. Brindle, wolf, speckled, tan, mouse, sable color is allowed. The most spectacular and popular are white, black, chocolate with golden tan (colondrino) and red. Rarely found dogs with a blue tone of wool, whose eyes are ruby ​​in color, are especially valued. Spotted dogs are very smart, they are also popular at shows.

Flaws
The disadvantages include:

• narrow skull;

• flat head;

• sunken, small or too bulging eyes;

• long muzzle;

• pronounced overshot or undershot bite;

• too pointed ears;

• short neck;

• drooping ears;

• arched or arched back;

• beveled croup;

• long body;

• barrel ribs;

• narrow set of hind limbs;

• offset elbows;

• short or crooked legs;

• flat or narrow chest;

• displacement of the patella;

• deformed jaw;

• very short, curled or incorrectly set tail;

• uniformly fine wool;

• absence of several teeth;

• additional row of teeth;

• badly expressed stop.

Disqualifying vices
The vices include:

• too light type;

• weight over 3 kg;

• absence of a tail;

• docked tail and ears;

• lack of wool integument or alopecia (bald spots);

• very elongated body;

• absence of at least one testis (in males);

• underdeveloped or insufficiently lowered testicles into the scrotum.

Two body types
The creators of the Chihuahua breed identified 2 body types: cobby-type (dense, heavy, stocky) and deer-type (deer, light, high-legged, elegant). The first description of these types was given in 1980.

Requirements for cobby-type (cobby type):

• the head is voluminous, the distance between the eyes and ears is large;

• expressive eyes;

• ears wide at the base;

• the neck is massive;

• the chest is voluminous and deep;

• the limbs are small, while a slight departure of the elbows is acceptable;

• the back is straight, with a strong topline and well-defined articulations;

• paws are compact;

• tail is thick, slightly compacted and thickened in the middle part;

• the coat is thick, with a well-defined undercoat.

Requirements for deer-type (type deer):

• a small head, but large, like bats, ears;

• muzzle long and dry;

• the angle of the shoulder is slightly straightened;

• the chest is small;

• angles of hocks are less pronounced than in cobby-type;

• tail and paws are thinner, movements are light and elegant;

• the coat is long and smooth, not very thick, there is almost no undercoat.

Both standards are currently recognized, but cobby-type is preferred. Mixed types also appeared, which are called semi-types, which combine the features of both types. They are not recognized. All other types offered by breeders on the market are not recognized, sometimes they can hardly be called a Chihuahua, since many of the signs are beyond the breed. Aboriginal, English, American, classic, dwarf, Pekingese, extreme and other types have nothing to do with the classification of the Chihuahua breed.

3
Choosing and Buying a Chihuahua
Choosing and acquiring a dog is an important moment in the life of a future owner. Therefore, before buying an animal, you should once again consider the purpose of the purchase and its consequences. The Chihuahua is recommended to be kept as an indoor decorative dog; it is not suitable for hunting or fighting, as well as for protection.

When buying a dog, you also need to consider the fact that people living nearby may react differently to this acquisition. If the future owners live outside the city, in a private house surrounded by a fence, the neighbors most likely will not be a cause for concern. But if we are talking about a multi-storey building, dog barking can negatively affect the relationship between the owners of the dog and the residents of other apartments.

It must be borne in mind that the owner of the rented apartment may refuse the permission given to him. But this happens extremely rarely and, as a rule, only in cases where the content of the animal causes criticism from the neighbors.

If the dog is planned to be kept in rented housing, it is imperative to obtain permission from the owner of the apartment, which must be recorded in a written agreement.

Usually a dog kept within the city is walked on a specially equipped area. If a Chihuahua leaves his feces on paths, sports fields, in parks or flower beds, the reaction of the people living in the neighborhood will naturally be negative. In the absence of a special site, you need to teach the animal to relieve himself in one, strictly defined place. Don't get a dog just for the kids to play with. Young children cannot always control their actions and often hurt pets. In response to this, the dog is quite capable of biting the offender. Do not allow a pet to lick a child's face and hands, as this is fraught with infection with some kind of intestinal parasite, which is transmitted to people mainly through the mucous membrane and is extremely dangerous to health.

Chihuahuas are very smart and quick-witted dogs.

When choosing a future pet, you should be careful. First of all, the future owner of a Chihuahua is recommended to think about the age of the animal he wants to have.

Purchasing a puppy
The puppy chosen by the buyer must not be less than 6 weeks old. Breeders always try to sell their pets as quickly as possible, but this issue must be taken seriously.

A puppy that is taken away from a bitch very early in 80% of cases grows up weak and often gets sick.

Moreover, separated from the mother and other puppies, the baby is deprived of the opportunity to develop social skills necessary for later life.

Before before making a purchase, you should:

• view the dog's pedigree and, if possible, see the parents of the future pet or their photos;

• Obtain a written certificate that lists the vaccinations given to the animal and indicates that special deworming treatment has been given. Such treatment should be carried out in any case, regardless of whether the puppy is infected or not;

• ask the breeder what the puppy was fed, how much milk he was given, at what time the feeding was carried out, etc.;

If the buyer is buying a purebred dog for the first time, it is best to seek help from a specialist. He will help you read the pedigree and choose the most promising puppy from the litter. You can also get advice from your nearest dog club.

• Do not buy the smallest puppy from the litter. Perhaps he will seem prettier than others, but in the future this particular baby may have problems with health and development;

• if it is not possible to buy a dog from a breeder, you can contact a pet store. Buying puppies from the hands is not recommended, because in this case there is no certainty of their purebred origin. Perhaps they only appear to be purebreds, but are in fact mestizos;

• when purchasing a dog, it is recommended to make sure that the puppy's pedigree is genuine;

• money when buying should be given only after receiving all the documents for the dog.

External signs of a healthy puppy are: symmetrically developed, strong body; well developed, strong paws; beautiful, healthy nails; soft (without scars and growths) paw pads; shiny, clean coat; skin without redness and pigmentation disorders; warm belly; clean ears and anus; wet cold nose; clear, shining eyes; pink gums; well developed white teeth.

If it is not possible to devote a lot of time to raising a puppy, it is better to take a 6-10-month-old dog into the house. As a rule, by this time she is already weaned from bad habits and knows some commands.

Buying an adult dog
Lonely people who spend all day at work are not recommended to get a dog. Without a doubt, she will become the best friend, but in the absence of the owner, there will be no one to take care of the animal. Many older people want to have a pet. Chihuahua full suitable for this purpose, especially if he is going to be kept in a city